Migrate to ArcGIS Data Store

If you have an existing managed database and hosted feature layers, you can remove the existing managed database and add it back as a registered database. Your existing hosted feature layers will still work. Esri strongly recommends you use this procedure to maintain your existing hosted feature layers.

However, if you cannot keep the existing managed database and still need the existing hosted feature layers, export the data from existing hosted feature layers, delete existing feature layers, republish after configuring ArcGIS Data Store, reset sharing and other properties on the new hosted feature layers, resymbolize layers in maps, re-create presentations, and republish apps.

The following sections describe the suggested workflow for migrating hosted feature layer data to ArcGIS Data Store. Perform these steps after upgrading your portal and ArcGIS Server site to version 10.3 or later releases.

Note:

Hosted feature layers that were published from ArcMap or an ArcGIS Pro map can be republished from ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro instead of exporting the hosted feature layer data, but only if the hosted feature layer was never used for editing. Publishing from ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro preserves layer symbology, but if any edits were made through the hosted feature layers, those edits are lost when you republish. If you want to republish unedited hosted feature layers from ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro, delete existing hosted feature layers, replace the managed database with ArcGIS Data Store, and republish.

Export data

Export data from existing hosted feature layers before you remove the managed database from the ArcGIS Server site.

The portal administrator can perform these steps to export all hosted feature layer data before you configure ArcGIS Data Store. Alternatively, each portal member who owns hosted feature layers can export the data for each of their hosted feature layers.

You must export the data from the hosted feature layers because, if any edits were made to the hosted feature layers, those edits would be lost if you republished from the original data source, such as a shapefile, CSV, or file geodatabase.

1. Sign in to your portal.
   • If you sign in as the portal administrator, click Actions next to the first portal member's name and click Manage Items. This opens a list of all content owned by this member.
   • If you sign in as the hosted feature layer owner, open My Content.
2. Open the item details for the first hosted feature layer you want to migrate.
3. Export to file geodatabase. Click Export > Export to FGDB.

   This creates a file geodatabase containing a feature class for each layer in the hosted feature layer. The item details page for the new file geodatabase opens.

4. Repeat these steps for every hosted feature layer you want to preserve and move to ArcGIS Data Store.

Next, delete the existing hosted feature layers, remove the managed database, configure ArcGIS Data Store, and republish from the exported files.

Delete existing layers

Hosted feature layer names must be unique, so owners must delete the existing hosted feature layers before republishing.

Caution:

When you delete hosted feature layers, the data is also deleted from the managed database. Before you have the owners delete their hosted feature layers, create a backup of the managed database. This provides you with another copy of the data in case you find there are any problems with the data exported in the previous section.

Once the existing hosted feature layers are deleted, maps and apps that used these layers will no longer function. You must re-create them after configuring ArcGIS Data Store and republishing.

Note that you do not have to delete existing hosted tile layers; hosted tile layer data is not stored in the managed database.

The portal administrator or hosted feature layer owners must delete the same hosted feature layers they exported in the previous section.

1. Sign in to your portal.
   • If you sign in as the portal administrator, click Actions next to the first portal member's name and click Manage Items. This opens a list of all content owned by this member.
   • If you sign in as the hosted feature layer owner, open My Content.
2. Check the box next to every hosted feature layer you are migrating and click Delete.

Next, remove the existing managed database and configure ArcGIS Data Store.

Replace the managed database

Remove and replace the existing managed database with ArcGIS Data Store.

First, remove the existing managed database.

1. Sign in to ArcGIS Server Manager as an administrator.
2. Click Site at the top of ArcGIS Server Manager.
3. Click Data Store.
4. Click the X next to the existing managed database to remove it from the ArcGIS Server site.
5. Click Yes to confirm that you want to unregister this database.

Next, install ArcGIS Data Store and configure ArcGIS Data Store with the ArcGIS Server site.

Once you have configured ArcGIS Data Store, all newly published hosted feature layer data is stored in ArcGIS Data Store's managed database.

Republish hosted feature layers

Publishers need to republish hosted feature layers from the file geodatabases they exported earlier. Be sure the new hosted feature layers have the same names as the old hosted feature layers.

Note:

Whoever publishes the data owns the hosted feature layer. If you exported the data as the portal administrator but you want individual portal members (publishers) to continue to own the hosted feature layer, share the file geodatabases to a group to which publishers belong.

1. Open the item details for an exported file geodatabase.
2. Click Publish.
3. Reset properties, such as sharing, editing, and delete protection, on the new hosted feature layer. See Manage hosted web layers in the Portal for ArcGIS help for instructions.
4. Repeat these steps for every exported file geodatabase.

Update maps and republish apps

The new hosted feature layers have different IDs than the ones they replaced. You need to replace the hosted feature layers in existing maps, reset styling in the map, re-create presentations in the maps, and republish apps that used these maps.